Dining With The Devils
by MooBerry- I AM THE BAUX GHOST
Summary: This is my version of "Dinner for Five" in Book 11, The Lost Stories. Mound, Nuttal, and Tomas had robbed Ambrose ,the silversmith, and were running through the woods towards the safe house. Little did they know, someone else was already there. GILAN AND JENNY! read and review por favor just in case I forget- I disclaim all of the Ranger's Apprentice Characters, no ownership.
1. Chapter 1

**Yolo peeps, I was sooooooooo disapointed at the one miniscule chapter of Gilan and Jenny in TLS. That's like, my favorite ship!**

**Anywho, This is basically my version of how "Dinner For Five" Should have gone.**

**Enjoy**

**~MooBerry**

**P.S.- Oh Yeah, Will and Halt are in my back yard shooting at target, A whole bunch of Skandians are on my roof drinking Some sort of liquor, Jenny took over my kitchen and is having Ladle Wars with Chubb, and Gilan. . . . . . . . Where'd Gilan go. Oh, Gilans nailing a sign to my door that says: "MOO BERRY DOESN'T OWN ANY OF US!"**

Tomas was a big man with a flaring temper that ignited at the smallest of things. That made him very, very hard to please. But nothing made him happier then to hear the quiet clinking of Jews in the large burlap sacks. Mound and Nuttal, his comrades, we proud of their loot as well, but they were more great full that their boss was in such a good mood. The trio ran quietly through the woods, staying close enough to the road that they knew where they were going, but far enough away that the bandits were unseen.

"That silver smith didn't suspect a thing!" Nuttal snickered, his rat-like eyes bright with happiness.

"Not a Thing!" He added.

"Quiet you!" Tomas growled but he allowed a small smirk to pull at his mouth, this was the best theft he had ever preformed.

Mound smiled too, there was enough money in that sack to split evenly with out a quarrel and their plan was fool proof.

"How much farther to the house, Mound" Tomas growled, he was getting tired of running

"None at all sir," the largest robber pointed ahead, "we have arrived"

The group emerged from the trees at the back of the house. Inside Jenny, had just placed her leg of lamb into her stove and was rereading Gilan's letter for the fourth time. If the bandits had only come from across the road they would have seen her,

but they didn't.

Tomas licked his lips with anticipation as the silver jingled inside his bag again.

"Perfect" He said.

The gang walked up to the door step, laughing loudly. Nuttal was actually jumping from foot to foot with excitement. Mound reached for the door knob just as Jenny reached for another pan to fry her potatoes in. It clanked against a pot as she pulled it off a shelf. Mound froze, his hand hovering over the door knob. Tomas bumped into the giant man and dropped the valuables.

"Why'd you stop you dolt!" He hissed as he bent down to retrieve the money, but Nuttal, still spinning, crashed into the two villains. Tomas shoved the small man and Nuttal sprawled onto the dirt. Tomas sprang to his feet, all pleasantries gone now.

"You Idiots!" he seethed, he turned to Mound, "What's the matter!"

Mound tapped his lips with one finger,

"I heard some'thin."

Tomas snatched the bag up and pushed Mound out of the way.

"There's nothing here, she hasn't come home early all week!" He shouldered the door open and stomped into the house, making noise to prove his point. Mound and Nuttal shared a glance but stumbled into the hall after their leader.

Jenny stopped and turned slowly at the sound of her back door slamming open. She heard footsteps and loud voices.

"See. . . . . . . Nobody" A rough voice, The leader.

Jenny felt her heart pounding.

"I know I heard some'thin" Another gruff voice, the speaker sounded like a huge man.

"She's not here! She's been gone all week" The first voice

_'oh gosh'_ Jenny thought 'they're talking about me'.

She stood frozen,

"Lets find a place to count our money" the first voice cackled.

_'robbers!'_

"Hey. . . . You smell dat" The Second voice

Jenny felt her heart skip. The lamb was starting to let off a wonderful sent.

Footsteps, but then they stopped, she heard whispering.

Jenny backed up,

_'I need to hide!'_

She quickly scanned her kitchen. There were small cupboards and a tiny pantry. The curtains were definitely not long enough to hide her. Jenny's eyes laid on her stove, maybe she could hide behind it! She rushed to the wall and crouched down, only to jump back again. The heat radiating off her fire was scalding.

She stood again, feeling a chill creep down her spine. The terrified chief had only been frantically looking for a few seconds but the footsteps were getting closer.

She heard There were two hallways leading to her kitchen. One from the living room or back door, obviously not the right choice. The other led to her bedroom and bathroom

Jenny backed into the second hall way she saw the shadow of a scrawny man walking into her kitchen. She ducked into her bedroom just as a rat faced man turned the corner. She felt tears of fear prick her eyes, It was about 4 hours after noon, 2 hours before Gilan would come. If these men were as dangerous as they sounded she would have to stay hidden.

Her bedroom was small. There was her bed, there was a small table, not nearly big enough to hide under though. Her closet was on the far side near the window.

'too obvious' she thought frantically where else she could hide. Then, the foot steps thumped down the hallway. Then, something clicked in her, in a blur she slid across the floor and under the bed. Her eyes squeezed shut, praying that Gilan would be here soon.

**Hey! You like? tell me if you find it interesting. I need some feed back before i continue, i want to know that this is worth writing. I have another TVD fanfic that almost 12,000 people are reading, so if I don't get some reviews I'll just go back to that one**


	2. Chapter 2

**Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey! So first off**

**I would like to thank**

Moniquebowman **for being my first AMAZING reviewer**

**you're awesome! oh and TVD stands for a tv show called The Vampire Diaries**

Jenny laid under the bed, trying desperatly to calm her breathing. She heard to creak of her door opening and then shuffling foot steeps. A pair of dusty boots came into view as they walked towards her closet. Then she heard rustling, He was looking in her closet.

'This may be my only chance to get help' Jenny thought.

She silently slid out from under the bed. A short man was rummaging through her clothes, he couldn't have been any taller than Jenny but she wasn't going to take any chances. There were 2 men in her house and she wouldn't be able to fight them both. Keeping her eyes on the small man, she backed out of the room and into her hallway. He mind was going a mile a minute, she needed to get out and get help. She crept down the hall way only to hear the other man.

"Hey Nuttal, you get her?" This was the second voice. Jenny ducked into her bathroom just as the bigger man turned the corner and went into her bedroom.

So, the gruff voiced leader she had heard was the scrawny man? Something about that didn't make sense. Jenny scurried out of the hallway and into her kitchen. She could hear the blood rushing in her ears as she looked over her shoulder, but there was nothing. Just the dark hallway. Then she turned back around, and screamed at what she saw.

**I know this was short but I wanted to add to the suspense.**

**Tootles!**

**P.S. at LEAST 3 reviews before you get to read anymore. This is a very recent story and i won't be dropping it, im just going to finish writing the story but i'm not going to post any of it untill you meet my. . . . . . . demands**

**MUWAHHHH HA HA Ha ha ha AH HA HA Ha ha,**

**YEH HEE HEE HEH HEH HEh Heh heh**

**WU AH HA HA HO HO HO HA H- yeah i'm done**

**Tootles again!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Yo k-dawgs! How you like this.**

**Yo no tengo Ranger's Apprentice, Nada.**

**This chapters a long one.**

Jenny screamed at what she saw, or rather, what she had done.

She walked into Tomas.

She saw him out of the corner of her eye, just as she turned around. By then it was too late. She bumped into him, and the large man grabbed her forearms roughly. Nausea filled her gut as he gave a wicked smile, showing off crooked, yellow teeth. Jenny could see a faint scar around his neck.

The scar from a hanging rope.

These were wanted men obviously, Jenny's heart sank as she realised how dangerous this would be.

He grinned that evil smirk at her

"Oh sorry love, didn't see you there."

Jenny fought against him but he held her tight.

"Alright, go ahead." He said and released her. With no hesitation Jenny ran away from Tomas. She slipped but caught herself. By the time she stood up again, only a few seconds later, she was already running. She dashed to her back door and wrenched it open.

Mound stood there, leaning with both hands against the door frame. She screamed and turned again but ran straight into Tomas. He held her tightly in a bear hug this time. Pinning her arms down with his. He threw her down onto the small couch in her sitting room.

"Close the door Mound."

Jenny could tell he was angry from his dangerously low voice, but at least she could place a name to the biggest man's face. Then he turned to the runt of the three,

"You said she wouldn't be here! You said she was at her restaurant late! Curse you Nuttal!" He spat

"B-But Tomas, she's been gone all week. I-I-I had no idea she would be here!" he stammered.

'So' Jenny thought. 'The leader was named Tomas and the underling was called Nuttal' She mentally kicked herself for thinking that the scrawny, rat of a man was the ring-leader. But then again, maybe it was instinct. She knew plenty of other people who weren't the tallest trees in the forest, but could rule over an army.

She had felt more relaxed that they had seamed to forget her, until Tomas turned back to his prey.

"Yes." He seethed, "Why are you here tonight, of all nights?" His eyes narrowed with suspicion.

"I like to come home to do some cooking every so often." She said thinking fast, but also trying to sound confident.

"To do cooking in my own kitchen, this is _my_ house you know." She finished.

For a moment she thought she was in the clear, but then Mound spoke.

"You have never come home before,"

"Well- Thats because. . . ah- I-. . . . I didn't trust my Wait Staff." Her confidence had left her now and her heart fluttered with fear.

"I'm not buy'en it." Tomas deadpanned.

Jenny didn't know how to react to this, so instead she just sat, straight backed and silent, all the while the cold, depression sinking farther into her. By this time Mound and Nuttal were wandering around her house, shuffling through recipes and snooping in cabinets and such. But Tomas continued to stared at her with narrowed, unblinking green eyes. Like a snake's.

"Hey, look at this!" Nuttal called.

Tomas and Mound shuffled over to see, leaving a very relived Jenny behind.

Nuttal had grabbed Jenny's Plum Tart off the window ledge, He removed the towel and steam wafted up. Nuttal grabbed the knife she hade used to slice the potatoes and began to tear at her beautiful creation. Jenny felt anger blazing up in her gut, almost drowning out the fear. If it was anyone else she would have beat them senseless with her ladle for ruining gilan's favorite desert.

but these men were vile, and they would kill her without even trying. They would find out about Gilan's visit too, then these foul men would murder them both.

She had to get Gilan a message!

Nuttal grabbed the uneven slice and crammed it in his mouth as Mound licked his lips.

With the men busy Jenny searched for something, anything, to let Gilan know she was in danger. It couldn't be an article of clothing, he would just think she dropped it on her way through the door. She stood and crept over to the wooden dresser.

Maybe his letter? No, the bandits may see her and become suspicious again, she didn't know if they could read or not.

"What's this here?" Tomas asked moodily.

He had followed his nose to her cook stove and had opened the door to peer inside. Mound, mouth still stuffed with pastry and plum preserve, joined him. Nuttal was rummaging through cupboards, he pulled out the burlap sack of sugar and dumped a few handfuls on the desert.

Jenny's mind was racing, now was the time to act, with the men fully distracted. She rummaged quietly on the dresser, setting Gilan's note aside, not noticing as it fluttered to the floor, face up.

Then, her eyes fell on the silver letter opener.

It was not normal for a common girl to have such an expensive posetion, but the Heirloom had belonged to Jenny's Grandmother. She had carried the sharp antique with her since she was sent to the ward. It was the prettiest thing she owned, Bright silver with running deer and leafy vines etched up the blade. Perfect for breaking the wax seals on the few letters she received. The handle was a doe's head from the chest up. Ferns wrapped around the animals shoulders and curved beautify.

Jenny glanced warily at her captives, but they were still interested in the Lamb.

Meat?" Mound suggested.

Jenny snatched the letter opener and , holding it close, crawled across the floor to her front door.

"It must be," Tomas said, he opened his mouth to add more but was interrupted.

"Dish is eben betur wit the Sugar!" Nuttal cried. The pie in his mouth muffled his voice, and crumbs spewed.

Now was her chance, Jenny sat with her left shoulder against the door and rolled up her sleeve. Grasping the handle with her right hand, she slashed into her left wrist. Jenny bit her lip to avoid crying out, tears trickled down her face. She dug the blade in farther, letting her blood stain the tarnished knife. Then she pulled it away. This had only taken a few seconds but for the terrified girl, it lasted an eternity.

Tomas, however was not to happy about being interrupted by his underling.

"Be Quiet Nuttal!" He snapped, turning to where he thought Jenny was. "What is cooking-"

Then his eyes laid on her, sitting by the door. Rage radiated from him. Jenny was glad she didn't try to escape, he had a nasty looking corkscrew dagger at his waist.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING!?" He barked, advancing towards her.

Jenny hastily pusher her sleeve back down to hide the wound.

"TRYING TO ESCAPE?" He shouted again. He was standing over her now.

Jenny quickly slid the letter opener under the door. It barely fit through the gap.

"Well?" He fumed, obviously expecting an answer, but Jenny was too scared to speak.

"I- no- i was. . . i was. ." She stammered.

Tomas grabbed her by the hair and yanked the girl to her feet.

"I'm afraid you won't get very far, dear. You see," He began to walk back to the couch, dragging Jenny behind him.

"As useless as Nuttal is, he does have _one _highlight." Tomas dropped her on the rug and she cowered, no daring to get up or move.

Tomas gestured to the small man,

"Our friend Nuttal here happens to be an expert knife thrower, he would have stabbed you dead before you could get ten paces."

Jenny felt her stomach tie in knots as she realised the disastrous effect the knives would have.

Tomas would have continued to rant if not for Mounds next words. Two simple words that made Jenny's want to curl up and die out of fear. One question that made the queasiness in her stomach magnify by one hundred.

"W'ats this?"

**OOOOOOOOOOOOOOh! can you even have anymore suspense, the answer to that is, **

**Yes I can.**

**Oh my gosh! Just wait till the next chapter! Something really bad happens then! You probribly won't even want to read this any more cuz it's so terrible.**

**You'll just have to wait and see.**

**ta ta**

**:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello again wonderful readers! How art thou? Ha ha, yes, I am in a Shakespearean mood. **

**Calm Down Calm Down! **

**I'm not going to go all Romeo and Juliet with Jen and Gil.**

**Jenny probably doesn't have any poison anyways.**

**I disclaim all ownership of Ranger's Apprentice, *sob***

"Wat's This?" Mound asked. interrupting Tomas' interrogation session. The was snooping on Jenny's cupboard when he caught sight of Gilan's letter on the floor. He was about to kick it aside until he saw the oak crest letter head on it. Mound was most definitely not the sharpest knife in the kitchen but he knew that rangers were trouble. He swept it up and held it towards his leader.

Tomas dropped Jenny and shuffled over.

"What!" He snapped.

Mound held out the note,

"I found this on the dresser, that's a ranger's mark, that is."

Tomas snatched the paper, he too had heard of dark warlocks of the kingdom. Jenny cowered on the floor, clutching her wrist with a sinking feeling in her chest as Nuttal walked over. Tomas had been tilting the letter this way and that, trying to make sense of the letters. Nuttal lean beside him as Mound looked over Tomas' shoulder, but none of them could make sense of the writing. Jenny felt a surge of relief as she realised the men couldn't read, but it quickly died as she thought of how they would get the information from her.

Tomas walked over silently, still pondering the letter.

"I may not know much about writing and such but I know my days of the week," he pointed to a spot on the parchment.

"That there says Thursday, and that's today." He narrowed his eyes. and gestured to the letter head.

"An' that there's a Ranger's mark"

He leaned down and grabbed her forearm and savagely yanked the girl to her feet. He leaned down, his face inches from hers.

"So you better start talk'en"

**Oooooooh! What will happen next? We will never know. . . . . . .**

**We'll, I know cuz i'm writing this story.**

**So to rephrase my statement,**

**You, will never know. . . . . .**

**until the next chapter, that is.**

**;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D**


	5. Chapter 5

**Yolo peeps!**

**I would very much appreciate a tiny bit of feedback**

**I don't own any of RA.**

Gilan looped Blaze's reins around the tree branch, still thinking about is meeting with the Baron. He could have gone after the three bandits tonight but he had much better things planned.

Blaze glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. Gilan sighed and pulled an apple out of his sadel bag.

"Here you go, you greedy horse."

Blaze chomped happily at the fruit in reply.

Gilan turned and began to walk up to Jenny's house, he had been looking forward to this visit for a while. He raised his hand to knock but something stopped him. He looked down, something stuck out from under the door and was reflecting light into his eyes. He knelt and pulled it out. It was a beautiful letter opener, then he saw it.

The blade of the antique had rusty colored stains smeared on it. Shades of crimson Gilan knew all too well. He stayed in a crouched position, something wasn't right here.

Gillan began to crawl silently around the house and knelt under the kitchen window. He heard people talking and strained his ears to hear the quiet voices.

"When did this happen."

A gruff man's voice.

Then was Jenny's reply, but Gilan couldn't hear it, he heard what came next though.

-Smack-

Then a cry of pain.

Gilan felt anger building up in his gut, but fought it back down. He desperately wanted to spare Jenny of this torture. Gilan let out a slow, silent breath.

'I need a plan.' He thought.

**I know this was short but I have some lose ends to clean up before I can Move on, **

**such as what will happen to the dinner.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey again, I would like to thank all my lovely readers for reviewing, you are amazing.**

**Please note that I have changed the rating to T for violence.**

**I don't own Ranger's apprentice, but. . . . . .I fantasize about inheriting it if a certain someone was gone. . . . . *shoots John F with arrow***

**MUWAHHH HA HA HA HA!**

**JK, If I did that the wouldn't be able to write anymore of his amazing books.**

Jenny huddled on the floor, sobbing quietly. Mound and Nuttal had taken the lamb out of the oven and were tearing of strips of the golden meat. Tomas had only left her to grab a large chunk of the meat which he ate greedily with his hands. He now walked back to Jenny. She squeezed her eyes shut as tears dripped down her face. A large bruise was forming on one cheek. She heard the rasp of steel on leather and looked up as Tomas pulled the corkscrew dagger from his scabbard.

"Now, shall we quaperate love?" He inspected the blade, Jenny could see many kinks and spots of rust on the hilt. Jenny could tell it would a nasty infection if used.

He grabbed her arm and wrenched her to his level, he held the knife close to her face.

"You've got some business with Ranger folk and I wanna know what it it." He said slowly.

Jenny glance to her water scale, It was 5:30, Gilan was to be here in half of an hour.

"Well. . . .?" She felt the prickling sensation of a knife point under her chin.

She'd been backed into a corner.

"I'll Read it-" she choked out.

Tomas nodded with a smirk and let her go. Jenny scramble to the letter, she felt hallow as she realised what they would do with her when they found out the truth.

She looked down and began to read, the sobs catching in her throat as she told them about her visitor.

When she was finished she was too scared to even look at the men. Suddenly Mound lunged over and grabbed her roughly, as if,after achieving the upper had she was going to run.

Nuttal jumped nervously from foot to foot. "What'll we do?"

Tomas stomped over, radiating anger.

"Be Quiet you!" He shouted at Nuttal. Then he grabbed Jenny under the chin and pushed her up to meet his raging gaze.

"You knew about this! You knew your friend would come!" He shouted at her, spittle flying.

"I'll kill ya!" he screamed and slapped her again. The force of the blow made Mound step back a pace for fear of being the next target.

"What we gunna do boss?" Nuttal glanced out the window as if expecting the Ranger to ride up any second.

"We gotta leave!" Mound's deep voice rang out.

"No, No! By now the silver smith will be lose and the village will be out, We stick to the plan!" Tomas snapped.

"But what a bout the Ranger?" Nuttal squeaked.

Tomas thought for a moment. Ranger's were smart sorcerers and Tomas was not looking to meet one.

"I've got a plan."

**Poor Jenny, **

**BTW I have been very busy with school and such and that's why I've been slow with updating, but don't worry, I will NOT abandon you with this story.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey again, sorry i haven't updated in a while.**

** I don't own any of RA.**

"I've got a plan." Tomas paced back and forth. "What, what we'll do, Were gonna act like. . . . " He paused.

Mound and Nuttal waited anxiously.

"Act like she forgot her date." He finished.

The others just blinked.

"WELL, GET A MOVE ON!" Tomas roared.

Nuttal scurried to the kitchen and shoved the rest of the plum tart in his mouth. He open a random cupboard and stashed the pie pan. Meanwhile Mound scarfed the remains of the lamb and moved to the window, carrying the pan of hot grease, he didn't seem to notice the heat. Gilan crouched outside the window listening to the mens' plan. He heard the shuffling and ever so slowly looked up. The pan seamed to levitate out above his head, then it flipped over. Gilan flattened himself against the house as the spitting grease rained down and puddled between his feet. Gilan didn't dare look up until he heard Mound shuffle away and breathed a sigh of relief.

Inside Tomas shoved Jenny onto the couch as he paced by, he turned to Nuttal.

"Any sight of him?"

Nuttal hopped to the kitchen window and leaned out to see. suddenly he jumped back in surprise.

"What! What is It?" Tomas snapped, he sounded fearful now, but only a little.

Nuttal turned to him but stuttered so much there was no way to understand what he was saying.

"SPEAK!" Tomas roared.

"T-T-There was a-a-a" He stammered.

"A what!?" Tomas spat.

"It was a- It was a-a-a" The leader grabbed Nuttal by the shoulders and shook him.

"SPIT IT OUT NUTTAL!" He seethed.

Nuttal took a deep breath,

"It's a horse."

**Yolo, sorry for not updating the school Science Fair is coming up and I am very busy. TTFN**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello again Lovies!**

**Long time no write.**

**I don't own Ranger's Apprentice**

'It's a horse." He said simply.

Gilan curse himself under his breath and flicked his eyes forward, without moving his head of course. From his spot under the window he could easily see Blaze, tied to the tree, calmly awaiting his return. He bit his lip hard, he hadn't even thought to hide Blaze from view after he found the knife, that mistake could cost Jenny her life.

Unless...

He carefully slid his hand backwards to grab his bow.

Tomas shouldered his way forward to the window, Nuttal cowered in fear, whimpering slightly as he wiped lamb grease onto his trousers.

This made Jenny quite annoyed. Here she was, beaten and held captive and that pewnie swine was worried for his life. He-

Her thoughts were interrupted by Mounds deep voice, "That there is a ranger horse."

Jenny smiled. Now that she thought about it, Nuttal had a very good reason to be scared,

Gilan had arrived.

**I'll wrap it up soon, don't worry.**


	9. Chapter 9

Jenny definitely didn't expect what happened next. In her mind she had predicted the three men would see the horse and be galvanized into a crazed panic. During which the trio would stumble over each other racing for the door, only to be shot down by Gilan who had been waiting on the other side.

But that didn't happen.

What actually happened made Jenny's stomach freeze and grow icicles up her spine.

"Well would ya look at that." He chuckled and turned back to her, "That there's a ranger horse." He jutted his thumb at the window, as if it wasn't already obvious.

He advanced and pulled her so close to her face she could smell the smoke and filth on his breath. "i'd say you're friends come to dinner."

He smirked evilly.

"But sir, we already got rid of the food so he won't know she's here, right sir?"

Tomas let out a frustrated sigh. "Nuttal, you idiot! If his horse was here for that that means he was too and he know we're here."

Nuttal looked like he was about to wet himself, "Den what do we do?"

Tomas turned to his gruff, ogre of a sidekick. "Mound! You're bow."

Jenny didn't have much experience with the matter but Mound didn't look like the kind of man that could fire a bow. His bulging muscles and sausage-like fingers could easily snap the bow string, even by accident. But to her surprise Mound reached behind his back and pulled out a worn out hunting bow.

It looked like a fishing rod compared to the ranger long bows.

The wood was cracked and dusty and the color was all wrong. Jenny remembered how Gilan's bow shone a healthy chestnut color, but this one was grey, as if the sun had leached the color form it. The bowstring was obviously horse hair and had split and snapped in various places. The arrows that came with it were even more of a joke. The feather plumes on the end were ripped and patchy and the arrows themselves were crooked, as if they had been reused many times.

The overall look was so quaint Jenny almost laughed, then she relized what they were planning to do with it.

Tomas took one of the pathetic arrows and mounted it on the string, "Here's what we're gonna do, I'll shoot the horse the ranger will run of to see it it's alright, then I'll shoot the ranger."

That plan was almost funnier then the tools her was using to accomplish it, even if Blaze was hurt Gilan would stay put.

Suddenly Jenny felt very sick.

Gilan would _have_ to stay put, even if Blaze was dying. Jenny had heard enough from Will to relies the bond between Ranger's and their horses was extremely strong. She couldn't let them kill Blaze.

Outside the window...

Gilan stiffened.

They were going to shoot Blaze! He gnawed on his lover lip, it he tried to give her a signal to move now, the bandits would hear but if he didn't, Blaze could be killed. He had already freed hi bow and had an arrows notched on the string but he removed it. Maybe he could use his bow to knock the arrow out of the air as it passed over him. It was a longshot, and would definitely exposed his hiding place, but it would give him the element of surprise.

In the house...

Tomas set the drew the arrow back on the string and steadied it on Blaze. Jenny had to do something!

In a split second she jumped to her feet and lunged at Tomas.

"NO!" She screamed and leapt on his back, she dug her fingers into his eyes clawing at his face and ears as he howled with pain.

Mound jumped forward and pulled her backwards, swinging her around so his hands were at her neck. Tomas howled with pain and staggered around the kitchen.

Gilan leapt to his feet and notched an arrow, surveying the room in a second. Three men were running around Jenny's little kitchen like chickens with their heads cut off. The smallest, who reminded Gilan of a slimy rat, was cowering in a corner as another staggered around bellowing like a wild animal. The biggest had Jenny pinned up against the wall, his hands at her throat, choking her to death. That man was the first to receive his arrows.

He sent three of them, rapid fire, one to his thigh, one to his arm and just for good measure, one embedded In his backside. He slumped to the ground in shock and pain and Jenny slid down the wall, gasping for air.

The other man, Gilan soon saw, was actually screaming in pain and had both hands clamped to his face, blood smeared from his hairline to his chest. Gilan fired an arrow at that ones foot and dropped to the ground just in time to dodge the kitchen knife that flew through the air. The smallest man was not as useless as he had expected. In his hurry to survive, Gilan's bow had skittered away but he abandoned it. Now this was just a test of wits and reflexes.

Gilan pulled his double knives out of the sheave and readied himself, but not soon enough. The Small man had already drawn two knives from Jenny's collection and sent them fling.

The first missed by several feet, making Gilan drop his guard a tad, only too late he realize it was a trick. the second knocked his two weapons right out of his hands.

Gilan scampered backwards, looking for something, anything he could use as a weapon.

The rat man had a crazed look in his eye, "I should really be thanking you, after all. You got Mound and Tomas out of the way so I can have all the silver to myself now! I can kill you easily and," He paused with a sly smile, "Who knows I may even take your lil' girlfriend as a parting gift.

He rose the last knife above his head, ready to plunge into Gilan's gut when suddenly, there was a long gong sound and Nuttal slid sideways. Unconscious.

Standing behind him was Jenny, bedraggled and bruised, holding a heavy iron pan. "I think not," was all she said.

**huuuuuuuuh it's 1:18 AM and im finally done.**


End file.
